


everything's fine

by kennysspace



Series: almost paradise - part two [13]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23046979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kennysspace/pseuds/kennysspace
Summary: almost paradise: part two - chapter thirteen of fifteenyou're not sure steve will ever get over nancy.
Relationships: Steve Harrington/Henderson Reader, Steve Harrington/Reader, Steve Harrington/You
Series: almost paradise - part two [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1571503
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	everything's fine

this is also being updated to my tumblr. you can find it [here](https://harringtonbuckley.tumblr.com)

* * *

You close the front door while you exit the house; Steve’s turning back to the car, eyes focused down on his watch. Neither of you are looking forward to this.

“Ready?” You ask, smoothing the deep gray fabric over your hips as you face him, brushing a piece of hair from your cheek. 

No, he’s not ready. He doesn’t think he ever will be. But attending the funeral is something he knows he should do. 

Barb would be alive if they hadn’t pressured her into something she didn’t want to do. Barb would be alive if Nancy hadn’t followed him upstairs. Barb would be alive if they hadn’t - he decides not to finish that thought. 

But Steve nods anyways, bringing his gaze back up; he still can’t make himself look at you. He thinks you should hate him for what he did.

“Yeah, I guess,” His tense tone hardens your brow and you take a step towards him - you know full well the guilt that’s on his mind. 

“Everything’s gonna be fine, Steve,” The feeling of your hand gliding over his shoulder finally brings his attention up to your soft eyes, “We should at least go to the service.”

“You don’t have to come,” He says before he can stop himself. Of course he wants you to be at his side for this, but he doesn’t want to drag you into it. Not anymore than he already has.

Your mouth curls upwards a touch at his comment, “Of course I’m coming. It’s important to you.”

Steve thinks he could melt right there. You’re far too good to him, far too good _for_ him. He can’t get you off his mind, which isn’t fair - he doesn’t think he’s entirely over Nancy yet. No matter what she’s done to the both of you, a part of him still feels a need to forgive her. 

Steve wants to let it all spill, tell all about how he’s starting to fall for you; everything about you - everything he didn’t notice before. 

But all he does is nod again as he reaches for the passenger’s side door, sealing the fate for the afternoon.

* * *

As Steve brings the car to a slow halt, he starts to feel his pulse thump a bit faster at the anxiety beginning to materialize. You exhale before looking over, practically able to sense the stress radiating off of him. His hands are still gripping the steering wheel but he turns to meet your gaze, finding comfort in your weary, but similar expression. 

You’ve both fought monsters before, why does this seem so difficult?

You’re nervous too. You both know that Nancy’s here - someone that you’ve actively been trying to avoid in order to allow your hearts to mend. Hopefully, seeing her today doesn’t reopen any wounds.

Once a sigh passes his lips, you get out of the car - which prompts Steve to follow, relishing in the chill December breeze that flows through the air. 

The walk down to the headstone is filled with silence. Neither of you knows what should be said. 

But when Steve’s fingers brush the back of your hand, you tilt your chin to catch sight of him, skin tingling where his touched yours.

You feel your cheeks flush as he does the same, swallowing the lump in your throat as you move your eyes back to the grass. And Steve panics slightly; maybe he’s been reading this all wrong.

His mind starts to wander. That night by the pool, the one nearly three weeks ago now - you were seeking comfort. That’s all it was. And fear starts to bloom inside his chest, but not before you squash it entirely. 

At the feeling of you adjusting your wrist to interlock your fingers, a surge of confidence overtakes him. He uses it to pull you closer to his side, grinning as a bubbly giggle escapes past your matching smile. And as you look up to meet his focus once again, you tuck the other hand inside the crook of his elbow.

Everything feels fine for a moment.

You’re close enough that he could kiss you. 

His eyes flick down to your lips for just a second, but it’s just enough to get your heart racing with anticipation. As much as you tempt him, as much as he makes you want to lean in, the realization hits; this isn’t the time or place. 

It doesn’t last long after that - the immense sensation of your hearts swelling, that is. Because as soon you’re met with a small wave from Nancy, it fizzles away and leaves you aching instead. 

The pair of you have barely spoken to her since those early hours of morning twilight. Her words have haunted you ever since, running over and over inside your exhausted brain on a loop - as if you don’t already have enough to deal with.

But she looks better; more relaxed, more free. It looks like Jonathan’s been good for her. You hope seeing them together isn’t taking too much of a toll on Steve. But then again, how could it not?

Maybe coming here was a bad idea.

“You didn’t have to come,” She says as her and Jonathan approach, the breeze making your skirts flow in the wind. 

Jonathan looks between you, clearing his throat before continuing with what she _should_ have said, “But it’s great that you did, thank you. I know the Hollands appreciate it.”

You scan the crowd for any other familiar faces, surprised when you notice there’s only a handful of people in attendance. With the amount of coverage Barb’s death has been getting, including on the national circuit, you figure that there would be more attendees here to pay their respects.

“Of course,” Your eyes move up to Steve, who’s focused on Nancy’s soft glance in Jonathan’s direction. You deflate at the sight before deciding to talk for the both of you, “Her family deserves all the support that they can get.”

You barely register the speech being given - your brain is too busy with the idea of Steve still having feelings for her. 

Of course, you never expected him to get over her right away. But after what she kept from him, you hoped that might help. 

And as your relationship’s been evolving over the past few weeks, finally growing into what you’ve only been able to imagine, one thing can’t get forced from your mind as you stand here and think: you were his second choice. Will it stay that way?

A trembling exhale gets pushed from your lungs at the thought. Steve drags his attention away from the casket to peer at you, lips parting as he notices the way your jaw clenches. His thumb strokes over your knuckles as he takes in your somber expression, effectively pulling your gaze to meet his. 

“Everything okay?” He whispers to you. You send him a nod, squeezing your palms closer together to place emphasis and sincerity, “Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine.”

He doesn’t buy it. 

* * *

Steve stayed for dinner at the insistence of your mother. She’s not the kind of woman you can say no to, especially when she’s holding a fresh Sunday roast between her cat patterned oven mitts. 

The food was wonderful, as was the company. Dustin arrived home with Will as soon as you pulled out the silverware, and you were forced to add another two place settings to the table. Not that you minded in the slightest.

Steve can tell that your mind is swimming. Over the year you’ve spent together, he’s been able to recognize the signs, but they never worried him as much as they do now. Your brows get knitted together, the inside of your cheeks are chewed on - not to mention the silence that accompanies. 

You rinse off the last plate before handing it over for him to dry. His eyes study your profile as he does so, not entirely certain if he should say something, or _what_ he would for that matter. 

But he should _try_. He probably should’ve reached out more to Nancy while he had the chance.

The damp rag is still in Steve’s hands as he crosses his arms, leaning back against the counter, “You can talk to me, you know.”

Your arm brushes up against his to reach for a paper towel. While removing the leftover suds from between your fingers, you address him, “I know.”

Steve sighs; he doesn’t understand why you insist on being so damn cryptic sometimes. He wants to pick apart your mind and learn about your thoughts - all of them. You already know so much about him; and he wants to know everything about you. 

He doesn’t blame you though, for not always letting him in. He understands where the fear comes from.

Your lips purse as you struggle with yourself when he doesn’t reply. Maybe concerns about residual feelings for his ex isn’t something you should hide.

“I just-” You begin, leaning your body against the countertop. Steve still has his eyes away from you, hoping that maybe a touch of privacy will let you trust him enough to divulge what’s bothering you.

“I’m not an idiot, Steve,” You lower your voice, trying to glance at him with your peripheral vision, not sure if you’d be able to handle seeing his reaction straight on, “I don’t know if I’m even allowed to ask, ‘cause I don’t entirely understand _who_ I am to you now.”

You exhale before continuing, with Steve tensing beside you in anticipation of your words, “I know that your feelings for Nancy aren’t going to go away tomorrow, but you still look at her like… I don’t know, like she’s-”

“Well if you’re not an idiot,” Steve interrupts as he finally turns to face you, tossing the towel onto the counter. It makes sense that you’d be worried about what he feels for her, now that your past with her is in play. 

It doesn’t bother him that you’re asking about Nancy, no. It’s the uncertainty of his intentions for you that do. 

He softens his tone before watching you meet his eyes, “Then you must see how I look at you too.”

And you can’t look away or respond because it’s true - _you do_. You can’t help but let Nancy sneak her way between the happiness you share. Like when the glances between you two are held for just a second too long, when you blush and Steve just smiles, because you’ve got him. He thinks that maybe you always have. 

But you let yourself ruin those quiet seconds, always remembering how torturous and painful the past twelve months have been. 

Your heart rate picks up a touch as he leans in closer, gaze still lowered, “I mean, you’re important to me. You know that?”

But when Steve brings his eyes up to meet yours, it hits you. 

This has to be it. The moment.

The moment where your noses can brush as your lips meet, your eyelashes can flutter against your skin, you can pull him closer.

You only get to shift forwards a bit because Dustin’s door swings open on its hinges; you duck your head away at the last possible opportunity. Flustered by what that could’ve been, Steve clears his throat as your brother enters the room, Will closely in tow behind him.

“I can’t believe you killed my D&D character,” Dustin points to the other boy, “You realize how long I spent on those stats?”

“Not _my_ fault you decided to enter the room with the army of enemy tieflings,” Will shrugs, tossing his backpack over his shoulder.

“Jesus Christ,” Dustin catches your attention, hand motioning wildly in the air, “Can you believe this shit?”

“Yeah, that’s uh,” You briefly turn to him, thankful to have something to focus on other than Steve, “Really crazy.” 

You’re practically beet-red as you shove your fingers through your hair, and Steve looks to the door, “I think that’s my queue to head out.”

He nudges your shoulder before he passes, voice gentle and soft enough to only reach your ears, “I’ll see you soon, yeah?” 

You nod, not able to force any other type of response. Steve grabs his jacket from the back of the dining room chair as he focuses on Will, “What do you say to a ride home?”

“Duh!” Will answers and you smile. Steve won’t admit it, but you know that the group has started to grow on him. It warms your heart to see that they’re all able to get along - you worried about that for so long.

Dustin says his goodbyes before Steve opens the door, hand resting on Will’s shoulder as he exits first. But Steve takes one last glance at you before he can leave, dragging out the moment just a touch - because he doesn’t want to go just yet. 

The corners of your mouth finally curl up at the stupid expression on his face, because it makes you dizzy. You don’t know how long you’ve waited to see him look at you like that.

But he has to go. He can only stand here for so long.

Steve decides not to say goodbye. Because he knows it won’t be long before he sees you again; he can’t seem to stay away.

Once the door’s latched, another sigh escapes you. This is all getting to be too much.

“I ruined the moment, didn’t I?”

Your brother’s comment snaps your head to him; the smug grin that greets you immediately fills you with more embarrassment.

“No, no you didn’t,” You fumble over your words as you begin to head back to your bedroom, “There’s nothing going on, okay? Would you drop that already?”

“Oh yeah? There’s _really_ nothing going on between you two?”

“Yeah!”

Dustin folds his arms over his chest as he watches you retreat, “It doesn’t take that long to wash dishes, you know! I might be young but I’m not stupid!”

A half-assed goodnight is the only response he’s able to pull before you turn the corner, and vanish from view. He ponders the interaction for a few seconds as gears turn over in his head as he thinks. 

“Yeah,” Dustin mumbles to himself, “I definitely ruined the moment.”


End file.
